As I drove home, I realized it was one of those nights I used to write about, back in the days when I actually wrote about nights like that. But it's the sort of the experience you can't ever really capture in words because it's not always about what happened but the nature of it all. How exactly do I describe the tone of my "I used to like you" that I said to Cat when she attempted to poke me in the stomach with her foot, that Kate found so endearingly emo? How do I put into words the alternating feelings of totally not getting what anyone was talking about and totally having other people understand what I was talking about? Or should I just list silly things like Seanan drawing pornographic mermaids on Kate's back and the jubilant reaction (to Rebecca's confusion) to my question of "Do you believe in America that the streets are paved with cheese?"

I'm not entirely sure why, but Seanan's friends seem to like me. Well, I know this for a fact because Cat declared, "We like you." It's a funny sort of dynamic because I think part of my appeal is my constant bewilderment and finding them strange and off-putting; they have all this history that I don't have. But at the same time, although I am a New Person, they treat me like one of their own. Kate asked me how I'd been, and not in a standard way, but in a way that reflected that she genuinely cared how I'd been since the last time I'd seen her. She extended an invitation to go Contra Dancing tonight even though I had no interest. I don't know what I did to deserve it; maybe I'm just lucky enough to meet nice people.

Wherever you go, you need a core group of friends. A certain sample of people you feel comfortable with, who get together on a frequent basis. At Rice, I had that for the first time in my life. In Ann Arbor, I had The Girls. And as I drove away last night, I felt like I'd found my core group here.

But enough about happy things! It's time for the depressing outlook on humanity that is Battlestar Galactica!

This episode is not so much notable for what happens as for what it means.

The dynamic between Tigh and Adama has changed. Adama cannot understand what happened on New Caprica. He spent those four months on his cushy little spaceship, chowing down on an endless supply of noodles that appeared out of nowhere. He spent those four months waiting. Tigh, on the other hand, was In The Shit. He has a completely different perspective on the whole matter.

The dynamic between Starbuck and Anders has changed. Anders cannot understand what happened in that detention house. He spent those four months in the Resistance, organizing attacks and explosions. He spent those four months fighting. Starbuck, on the other hand, waged her own personal, ineffectual resistance, subjected to psychological torture, imprisoned, even less free than Anders. She has a completely different perspective on the whole matter.

I could go on and on, but the point is that even though superficially, the show pressed the reset button and got everyone back on the ship, they really didn't press the reset button on the characterizations.

I've become a Gaeta fan this season. Because he did what he could do, and he was risking his own ass every time he did even that. I really don't know that I'd have that sort of conviction and courage in his situation. I'm not entirely sure why he, I don't know, didn't immediately tell someone he had been the mole as soon as he got back on the ship, but...okay.

I love Anders now, too, for seeing The Circle for what it was: a lynch mob. But the fucked-up thing about the whole endeavor is that Zarek had a point, in a twisted sort of way. Yes, this is certainly the most "efficient" way of dealing with this, but is it really justice? Tigh was pretty convinced it was justice, or at least he had convinced himself because he didn't want to sound like Aragorn. And speaking of Aragorn, where the hell did he and that redheaded chick come from? Were they in the webisodes? I really need to get around to watching those because they made reference to the Temple massacre again, and I have no idea what they're talking about.

Laura Roslin is President again, and all is right. She sidesteps the whole issue by pardoning everyone, which doesn't bring Ellen and thirteen other people back to life. But it is a new, humane start following the second exodus.

I worry that Gauis/cylon interaction only will get repetitive and boring. Yeah, I'm wondering where they're going with that. It wasn't that compelling tonight, though I liked Baltar yelling that he needed Six...and then wishing he'd led with that.

I could go on and on, but the point is that even though superficially, the show pressed the reset button and got everyone back on the ship, they really didn't press the reset button on the characterizations.Which is exactly why I'm so pleased with the New Caprica storyline. Plotwise, we're right back where we started, but character-wise, everything's so much more complicated. People have changed in fairly huge ways, relationships have been and will continue to be tested, and there's much more of a personal sense among the fleet of having come near to annihilation (it seems to me, anyway).

But the fucked-up thing about the whole endeavor is that Zarek had a point, in a twisted sort of way. Yes, this is certainly the most "efficient" way of dealing with this, but is it really justice?I think in the end the problem was that there was no way they were going to get justice. Zarek was totally right that public trials would be worse--they'd turn into a farce. At least this way, the proceedings were private and therefore less likely to result in widespread witch hunts. Of course, the problem is that it's just a small lynch mob instead of a big lynch mob. Not really all that much more desirable. Which is why I think what Roslin did, while certainly not ideal, was the only thing that could really be done. Pardoning everyone isn't justice, but how to have fair trials in this kind of situation? How to assemble a fair, impartial jury? Pretty much all of the survivors are effectively victims here, and you'd have to be insane to put the victim of a crime on a jury for the perpetrator's trial. Fair trials were never going to happen.

I really need to get around to watching those because they made reference to the Temple massacre again, and I have no idea what they're talking about.We actually didn't see the Temple massacre they talked about. The temple massacre we saw was before Jammer joined the NCP.

I was kind of underwhelmed by yesterday's ep, partly because I spent the first half trying to figure out who the hell half of the Circle was...and I'm still not entirely sure. It felt very much like it was laying the groundwork, in terms of characterization, but I still don't really care about Anders that much. Gaeta is amazing though, and I really like his new hair. Also, how did Gaeta arrange the dead drops if he had no idea who was picking them up? How did he arrange them if no one knew it was him?

chowing down on an endless supply of noodles that appeared out of nowhere.If only Adama also loved tea. Then I could imagine a scene where he looks at a cup and says "DELICIOUS TEA...OR DEADLY POISON?"

Also, how did Gaeta arrange the dead drops if he had no idea who was picking them up? How did he arrange them if no one knew it was him?WHO KNOWS? I always thought he knew, but I guess he didn't since he didn't tell anyone about it afterward.

Oh my God, imagining Adama doing that scene is hilarious.Right? Like, he says the line, drinks the tea, and then stands up and slow-claps to demonstrate his appreciation for the deliciousness of the tea.

This past season of BSG is really resonating with me. And I loved both Gaeta and Chief. I loved how Gaeta had such dignity. He wouldn't beg. He knew what he did. He knew what he risked. He knew that he stood up and denounced, trying futiley to stand up to Baltar. They were all in an untenable position. And I'd put Baltar in that category. I don't think he could have done much but surrender to the cylons. What other option was there?

That said, Baltar is all kinds of mad and unstable. And he is responsible for the genocide of humanity.

That said, I could understand where Tigh and Starbuck were coming from. I even understood Zarek. I don't agree with. Legalising lynch mobs doesn't make them more moral or upstanding or right or just. It just sanctifies vengeance. And where does that get you? It's meeting ugliness with ugliness.

Tigh sacrificed Helen to the cause. And yet, I understood why she did what she did. She thought she was protecting Tigh and he was her priority. And yet, Anders ordered her dead. But he can't continue to give that same order.

As for everyone on the ship, things aren't as they were. The fallout from the occupation will continue to plague many for months or years. People are grieving, physically, mentally and emotionally traumatised, positions and hierarchy have changed, experiences of those on New Caprica and those who stayed on the ships are so completely disparate.

It's very compelling. Plus, this episode made me cry. Well, Gaeta and Chief made me cry.

Hee. I definitely thought we were ripped off with the absence of the slow clap. Sad.

I thought this episode was okay, but I really had major issues with the Anders/Kara storyline. I really do not buy that he wouldn't be at least sympathetic for ONE FUCKING EPISODE. I just don't. I could buy it if it was Lee (because it is always all about him), but not Anders. Ugh. Bullshit! And it's not even like I like them together, but they got fucking matching tattoos. I'd expect them to at least make it to midseason. Feh.

Speaking of Lee -- I loved how he had to draw so much attention to the fact that he's working out. TOOL!

The redheaded chick is the Resistance fighter who is setting the bomb in 'Downloaded'. I think she is also in the webisodes as well.

They didn't kill Gaeta! There are not words to describe who relieved I am. Phew! But poor Jammer. I kinda believed that he did think he was doing the best he could. He was horribly wrong about that but still. Poor airlocked little boy. He didn't pose a contiuning threat like Ellen. There was no need for him to die. Just maybe wander around the fleet with a big sign saying 'kick me' for a while.

Yeah, you should definitely watch the webisodes. I'm glad that I watched them prior to this season because knowing Duck & Jammer's motivations gives it more impact when we see what eventually happens to them. I have to admit that I had no idea whether Gaeta was going to live or die, especially when I noticed that he had the "Special Guest Star" credit all to himself and wasn't lumped in with the regular Guest Stars.

I could go on and on, but the point is that even though superficially, the show pressed the reset button and got everyone back on the ship, they really didn't press the reset button on the characterizations.

And this is why I love reading your episode posts. You've distilled it quite right into one sentence. That is what makes this show amazing. The events as they unfold really are character driven, and they're not afraid to follow that to its logical conclusion, painful though it may be.

I'm starting to like Gaeta, too. Actually, I was under the impression that he had attempted to reveal his role in th resistance. "I've already explained myself a hundred times - I'm not going to beg," or whatever that line was exactly made me think he had, but that no one had believed him.

Actually, I was under the impression that he had attempted to reveal his role in th resistance. "I've already explained myself a hundred times - I'm not going to beg," or whatever that line was exactly made me think he had, but that no one had believed him.I think he was just referring to the one time he told Starbuck, and she blew him off.

I love that the characters are still totally dark and twisty from their experience on New Caprica, too. It's only a plot reset button, which is how it should be -- that year jump was not, as I have heard some people complain, for nothing. They may have gone to all that effort for only four episodes, but look at how much happened to our guys during that time.

On Gaeta: I am a little confused as to why he didn't make more of an effort upfront to point out that he was acting as a mole for the resistance. He had to have known, for instance, that Tigh was leading the resistance. I mean, sure Tigh was in his face, but I'm sure Adama or Helo would have helped him get a word in edgewise to effect of "I sent you the jamming frequencies that got you RESCUED, you FRAKKERS!" rather than mumbling something about a dog bowl to Starbuck. Gaeta may not have known who in particular would know about the dog bowl signal, but he should have realized that anyone high up in the resistance would know about the documents he delivered, if not how he delivered them.

The other interesting thing about Gaeta and his being the mole -- particularly how Jacob in his recaps and others have complained about how nobody in the resistance figured out that the mole was Gaeta -- is that they haven't really dwelt on the missing year and how everyone viewed Gaeta before the Cylons showed up. Think about it: from the tiny bit we saw in LDYB2, Gaeta had not only left Galactica to go work for Baltar, but he was acting as Baltar's puppet in telling Tyrol and the labor union to "get off their frakking asses" and stop complaining. Even assuming that Gaeta was slightly nicer about it than that, Tyrol & co. saw him as a sort of traitor and definite antagonist well before the Cylons showed up, which is probably why they (a) had less of a problem buying him as a collaborator (he'd already spent a year as Baltar's puppet) and (b) did not suspect him of helping them (he spent a year delivering Baltar's "I don't have to listen, I'm the president" messages). So while we, the audience, got to see Gaeta's disgust at Baltar, it's entirely possible that nobody else did and all thought he was Baltar's yes man through and throuh.